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Feds Warn NJ Nuclear Plant Operator Over Firing

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LOWER ALLOWAYS CREEK TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) — The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has sent a letter to PSE&G asking for assurance that whistleblowers will not be penalized at the Salem and Hope Creek Nuclear Power Plants.

The letter was sent in response to a jury trial a month ago which found that a security manager at the Salem and Hope Creek Nuclear Plants had been fired in 2009, in retaliation for plans to talk about safety concerns.

“It’s important that workers at the nuclear plants feel comfortable raising concerns, either to the company, to the bosses, through their program for raising safety concerns, or to the NRC and it is considered a protected activity,” says Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokeswoman Diane Screnci.

She says the letter asks PSE&G about actions it plans to take, or has taken already, to make sure that the matter doesn’t have a chilling effect on workers.

PSE&G issued a statement saying it’s confident employees are comfortable raising concerns. The statement says however, the company is taking this opportunity to reinforce that message.